The aim of the present study is to assess the changes of palatal morphology among growing patients with different vertical facial growth patterns treated with rapid palatal expander.
Thirty-six patients referred to "Policlinico Agostino Gemelli" university hospital will be selected. The eligible criteria are posterior cross-bite, mixed dentition, skeletal Class I relationship and prepubertal stage of cervical vertebral maturation. The patients will be split into three groups according to facial divergency (hyper-, hypo-, normodivergent subjects). For each subject, digital dental casts will be recorded before and after treatment using an intraoral scanner. To evaluate two-dimensional maxillary arch changes, linear measurements will be done. To study comprehensively the palatal shape, a set of 240 landmark and semi-landmarks will be digitized on the palatal vault. Then, Geometric Morphometric Analysis (GMA) will be performed to compare morphological variations of the palate among different vertical facial growth pattern groups.
Caucasian origin;
Mixed dentition stage;
Angle class I or straight step or mesial step molar relationship in primary dentition;
Skeletal class I (ANB angle between 0° and 5°);
Previous orthodontic treatment;
Tooth agenesis or supernumerary teeth;
Craniofacial abnormalities;
Tooth impaction in the maxilla;
Skeletal class 1 growing patients affected by cross-bite, coming to UOC Dental Clinic, Fondazione Policlinico Agostino Gemelli IRCCS will be enrolled for this study.
Cohort
Prospective
rapid palatal expander
DeviceClinical evaluation of the patients who will be treated with rapid palatal expander for about 6 month.
Morphological changes of the palate
The principal aim of this study is to analyze the morphological changes of the palate in growing subjects with posterior cross-bite after rapid palatal expander therapy. The intraoral scans of the maxillary arch will be recorded at T0 (before treatment) and T1 (after treatment). To study comprehensively the palatal shape, 3D Geometric Morphometric Method will be applied. Pre- and post-treatment intraoral scans will be digitized using Stratovan Checkpoint Software, placing 240 landmarks. The landmark configurations will be superimposed with Procrustes Superimposition.
Geometric Morphometric Analysis of palatal vault among patients with different facial type
The secondary aim of the present study is to compare three-dimensionally maxillary morphological changes after rapid palatal expander therapy among growing subjects with different facial type (hyperdivergent, hypodivergent, normal), using Geometric Morphometric Method. The facial type of each subject will be evaluated on lateral cephalograms, in particular focusing on the vertical skeletal pattern angle.
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